Sales Total $49,120,789
Business Activity Slows
Business activity in Chowan
County in fiscal 1977-78, as
reflected in gross retail sales,
increased 6 per cent less than
during the previous year. Gross
retail sales totaled $49,120,789,
which is 8 per cent over 1976-77
while that year’s business enjoyed
Groas Gross
CHOWAH COUNTY CoHoctlona Rtoll Solos
1% Retail Sales » 45,802.03 ♦ 4,725,131
2% Auto, Planes Sr Boats 57,642.59 2,969,805
Apparel 19,090.46 657,195
Automotive 68,781.30 6,299,703
Food 300,050.33 10,733,312
Furniture 36,906.12 1,501,888
General Merchandise 209,788.37 10,750,918
Building Materials 46,687.01 5,438,387
Unclassified Group 118,096.47 6,044,450
Use Tax —l% ti 3% 30,835.59
Licenses Wholesale & Reg. 530.00
TOTALS * 934,210.27 S 49,120,789
Bureaucratic Snafu
The Lincoln-Douglas debates
remain a milch discussed part of
United State history. The Lin
coln-Lee incident is gainging
considerable notoriety and may
become a contender for laurels as
the bureaucratic snafu of the Hunt
Administration in Tar Heelia.
It is not unusual in government
for an employee with connections
to be given a “lateral” transfer. It
is, however, unusual for one to be
fired and then rehired at a salary
increase within a matter of days.
Every individual has particular
talents. Sec. Howard N. Lee of the
Department of Natural Resurces
& Community Development got
the opinion that Harvey M. Lin
coln didn’t have the touch, at a
salary of $29,000, for operating the
federal jobs program (CETA). So
he fired him.
The standard operating
such a case is a lot of
Ml'raising* by the person-being
discharged. This was not the case
and we number among those who
wondered why it didn’t happen.
A couple of days later, the man
who Sec. Lee found lacking in
leadership and performance in the
CETA slot, was picked up by State
Budget Officer John A. Williams,
at a slightly higher salary.
Sec. Lee is being made to lode
like the goat in this bureaucratic
snafu and Gov. Jim Hunt is said by
a bosom buddy not to have paid
much attention to the incident.
After the dust rose, Mr.
Williams asked Sec. Lee if he had
any “problem” with the situation.
“No,” the secretary replied. But
when the dust settles it will be
recorded in the annals of the Hunt
Administration as a 24-karat ex
ample of the right hand not know
ing what the left hand is doing,
while the body tries to preach
coordination and cooperation to
everyone else.
It is time for the appearnace of
the director of this governmental
combo.
Community
Involvement
Remember the summer you
went back to see your old high
school or elementary school?
Chances are you could almost
hear a pin drop as your footsteps
traveled down the corridor to your
old classroom. But times are
changing and now schools across
the state are buzzing with acitivity
not only in the summer but after
school, at night, and even on
weekends for people of all ages.
A Community Schools Act was
established by the 1977 General
Assembly to encourage greater
community involvement in
schools by citizens in the com
munity and to encourage their use
of the school facility. Ap
proximately 71 local school units
were funded by the 1977 General
Assembly to hire a community
Continued on Page 4
Bloodmobile Visit Monday, Sept. 11 American Legion Building
12 Noon Until 6 P. M.
a 14 per cent increase over the
prior year.
Statewide, the increase was
13.24 per cent above the 1976-77
total while that year’s business
was only 9.89 per cent above the
1975-76 amount.
The total business reported in
New High School
Not Necessary
Say Opponents
Saying “new facilities does not
assure improved educational
performance”, a group of citizens
organized Thurdsay of last week
to oppose the $3.5-million school
bond referendum on September 19.
The committee expressed
support for better education and
for adequate educational
facilities, but said they can be
accomplished without a new high
school.
“Everyone knows that better
education in Chowan County
depends on dedicated and
qualified teachers, effective
classroom discipline, greater
efforts by students and more
caring by parents,” it was stated
in a “fact sheet” made available
to The Chowan Herald yesterday
(Wednesday) morning.
Co-chairmen of the Interested
Citizens Opposed to The Bond
Issuer arer Bill Whichard, David
Bateman, Carlton Perry and Capt.
A1 Howard. George Alma Byrum
is treasurer with W.P. (Spec)
Jones serving as poster chairman.
The committee further alleges
that the existing buildings have
been neglected by Edenton-
Chowan Board of Education and
Chowan County Commissioners.
“We submit that proper main
tenance would have alleviated
many of these (maintenance)
problems,” it is stated.
In another area, it is claimed
that the need has not been
established, and the building of a
new school will not result in the
proper utilization of existing
buildings.
At still another point, it is
questioned whether the $3.5-
million, plus $500,000 in State Bond
funds will be adequate to ac
complish what the board of
education plans.
Speaking at last week’s
meeting, Bateman warned against
bringing high school consolidation
into the bond issue discussing. He
said it would “split our force.”
Later, John A. Mitchener, 111,
disagreed, saying consolidation
and the bond issue should be
joined.
Aces To Battle Pirates
Hie Edenton Aces go after their
first gridiron victory of the young
season Friday night against the
Perquimans Pirates at Hicks
Field. Kickoff is 8 P.M.
The Aces will be rebouding from
a thrashing by Northeastern in
Elizabeth City last week. The
Eagles proved too much for the
Aces to the tune of 38-0. It was the
second straight year the non
conference foe had kept the Aces
scoreless.
Coach Jimmy Addison drilled
the Aces hard this week in
preparation for the home opener.
While several injuries were
sustained last week there were no
the state for fiscal 1977-78 was
nearly $27.5-billion. Gross retail
sales in the 10-county Albemarle
Area were in excess of
million, up 7 per cent froK* %
previous year. \
Dare County’s 16 per cent \ %, ■
crease, to $81,284,887, was the
largest in the area. Gates County \
had a 1 per cent increase for
$15,988,631, and while Camden
County recorded a 10 per cent
increase in sales they were lowest
in the area with $9,718,066.
Pasquotank County’s sales
increased 9 per cent to
$140,672,671. Chowan’s business
activity ranked fourth in Nor
theastern North Carolina, trailing
Pasquotank, Dare and Washingon
counties.
General merchandise and food
sales totaled $21,484,230
$10,750,918 and $10,733,312
respectively —for 44 per cent of
the total business in Chowan
County recorded by the State
Department of Revenue.
Automotive sales were
$6,299,703 and building materials,
$5,438,387. Furniture sales totaled
$1,501,888.
Four cities in the state had sales
in excess of sl-billion. They were:
Charlotte, $3,370,618,180;
Greensboro, $1,456,398; Raleigh,
$1,333,663,592; and Winston-
Salem, $1,180,004,576.
mr"' l
VpaE dijoiian H k
rnk^
, 2 Jt 1
NEW ACADEMY TEACHERS—Shown here are seven of the
eight new faculty members at Chowan Academy. Left to right
are: Mrs. Helen Woodard, Mrs. Anne Schenck, Miss Nelle
Manning, Miss Virginia Riddle, Mrs. Darlene Swanner, Mrs.
Annette Woglom and Rodney Lassiter, Cullen Dunston was not
present at the time the picture was made. The academy opened
for the 1978-79 term earlier this week.
Coastal Management Program Is Approved
The N.C. Coastal Resources
Commission and Advisory Council
met at the N.C. Marine Resources
Center-Roanoke Island, Manteo,
Tuesday and Wednesday.
Robert W. Knecht, head of the
Federal Office of Coastal Zone
Management, U.S. Department of
Commerce, announced approval
of the State’s Coastal
Management Program.
Federal approval of the state’s
program brings with it con
sistency of federal programs with
the coastal policies North Carolina
develops for the 20-county coastal
area and an expected $1.4-million
to fund the Coastal Management
Program.
Gov. James B. Hunt, Jr., and
Secretary of Natural Resources
and Community Development
serious blows that will keep the
Aces from going at top speed
against Perquimans, another non
conference rival.
The Aces managed to gain only
114 yards on the ground on 30
carries in a game in which they
never put together a threatening
attack.
Dean Jernigan, a senior
quarterback, directed the Aces
and three for 45 yards on three
completions of 14 attempts.
Northeastern didn’t waste any
time in hitting pay dirt after the
Aces were forced to punt after the
first series of downs. A completed
Continued on Page 4
UTILIZATION OF ALL LAND PERCENT OF TOTAL CROPS
HARVESTED
/\~ Harvested \ / Soybeans /
/ \ Cropland 0/ \ / r For / 16% \
/ \ 30/o \ / 34% / \
I Non- ''v \ / Beans / Peanuts \
\ / / \ Corn \ crops /
\ / \ For 41%
X^Grairi
Com, Soybeans Top Crops Here
Thirty-eight per cent of all land in farms in Chowan County was harvested cropland in 1977, while 41 per cent
of the harvested crops was com for grain.
The 1977 Land Utilization and Crop Acreages report was compiled by the N.C. Crop & Livestock Reporting
Services and released jointly by that agency and Chowan County commissioners.
Tracts with 10 or more acres accounted for 105,375 acres of land in the county. All land in farms totaled 80,802
of which 39,674 was in harvested cropland. There were 248 acres of idle cropland and 891 acres in pasture.
The report shows 24,573 acres in the county with no significant agricultural production which is equal to 23 per
cent of the land.
There were 16,530 acres of com for grain the county during the report period and 13,416, or 34 per cent of the
total harvested, in soybeans for bean. Peanuts were grown on 6,261 acres in this county or 16 per cent of the
total. All other crops accounted for the other 9 per cent of harvested crops.
Sweet potatoes lead vegetables harvested with 295 acres reported. There were acres of cabbage, six acres of
tomatoes, three acres of green peppers, 21 acres of cucumbers, and four acres of Irish potatoes.
The report was compiled from information contributed by landowners. Data was collected by county com
missioners through township listers or through a sample survey conducted by the sponsoring state service.
_ .
Volume XLIV.—No. 36.
Howard N. Lee, and other federal,
state, and local officials, were on
hand for the announcement.
Gov. Hunt called the approval
the signaling of a “new beginning”
for the coastal counties and
municipalities because they now
have “blueprints for future land
Art Show Set
The Chowan Arts Council and
Edenton-Chowan Peanut Festival
invite all area artists to par
ticipate in an outdoor art show and
sale October 8, at the Colonial
Park on Edenton Bay from 1 P.M.
to 6 P.M.
The show will be a featured
attraction in the annual Peanut
Festival which is a community
celebration benefiting the local
band program in the Edenton-
Chowan Schools and is sponsored
by the Edenton-Chowan Band
Parents Association.
The show is open to all artists
and craftsmen 18 years of age and
older. Only original work may be
entered.
A Best-in-the-Show award of
SIOO will be presented.
An entry fee of $lO will be
charged, plus a 15 per cent
commission on sales will be
donated to the band program.
Registration will be closed on
September 20.
For further information, con
tact: Mrs. Scott Harrell, Jr.,
Route 1, Box 354, Edenton, N.C.
27932, or the Chowan Arts Council,
Inc., P.O. Box 341, Edenton, N.C.
27932.
Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, September 7,1978.
School Bond Funding
By FmHA Doubtful
By Flynn Surratt
Chowan County Commissioners
have rescinded a motion
proposing to sell $3.5-million in
school bonds to FmHA for funding
of a new high school, should the
issue pass on September 19.
The board has unanimously
agreed to offer the bonds on the
open market “in a manner that is
in the bests interests of the people
of the county and at a rate the
county can afford,” with a
preference for 40 year bonds.
The original motion was
reconsidered Tuesday night at a
meeting attended by a large
number of citizens both for and
against the issue. The new motion
was passed on information that
use” which they developed
themselves.
Joining Sec. Lee, the governor
again restated the full support of
his administration for the Coastal
Area Management Act. He was
high in his praise of the “unselfish
and dedicated service” members
of Coastal Resources Commission
and Advisory Council.
Among those present was J.
Gilliam Wood of Edenton, chair
man of the Board of Natural
Resources & Community
Development.
The Coastal Resources Com
mission and Advisory Council is
preparing policies to present to the
secretary on three coastal issues:
beach access and coastal
recreation, shoreline erosion, and
energy facility siting.
The commission’s En
vironmental Committee discussed
existing problems with
development standards in coastal
wetlands, estuarine waters, public
trust areas and estuarine
shoreline areas of environmental
concern.
The Environmental Committee
discussed possible revisions to
these existing standards to over
come identified problems. The
Environmental Committee
received a report on the state’s
current water quality monitoring
of the Albemmarle Sound.
A.C. Turnage, Water quality
engineer, reported on the state’s
monitoring efforts for the
Albemarle Sound area. Generally,
Continued on Page 4
Single Copies 15 Cents.
FmHA may not be able to finance
a new high school because of the
county’s bonded indebtedness
rating of 78.
Eddie Dick, county manager,
told the board that a bond rating
above 75 reduced greatly the
chances that FmHA would fund
anyting other than water and
sewer projects.
Later Dr. John Dunn,
superintendent of schools, added
that while FmHA objected to
being singled out in the original
motion, they should not be counted
out completely.
Dick presented three possible
methods of financing the school
bonds if the referendum passes
The study included an analysis of
the amount of the tax increase
based on the current property
valuation, analysis of the tax rate
based on projected valuations, and
an estimate of how early the bonds
could be retired.
Under the first option, bonds
would be sold on the open market
with a pay back period of 24 years
and an estimated interest rate of
6>/4 per cent. The total sum would
be $6,420,312.00 and would require
a tax levy of 27 cents.
If the 27 cent tax increase were
applied to the debt each year, it
could be paid off in 19 years, based
on the current valuation. On the
basis of the projected valuation,
the debt could be paid off in 16
years. It was added, however, that
the exact interest rate could not be
determined until the bonds are
offered and bid received.
Under the second option, FmHA
would offer the lowest interest
rate at 5 per cent and would
Continued on Page 4
Fish Fry Slated
Chowan County Shriners will
have their annual benefit fish fry
Saturday at the Scout Hut on
North Broad Street. Plates will be
served continuously from 11 A M
until 7 P.M.
This will be the 12th annual
event with the profit going to the
Shriner’s Crippled Children’s
Hospitals and Burns Institutes.
“Many local children have been
helped by these hospitals and this
is an opportunity for the citizens to
show their appreciation,” a
spokesman said.
Plates are $2.50 and facilities
will be available for those who
want tn pat at th» sitp